mency. Lancken read the note aloud in our
presence, showing no feeling aside from cynical annoyance at
something--probably our having discovered the intentions of the German
authorities.

When he had finished reading the note, Lancken said that he knew nothing
of the case, but was sure in any event that no sentence would be
executed so soon as we had said. He manifested some surprise, not to say
annoyance, that we should give credence to any report in regard to the
case which did not come from his Department, that being the only
official channel. Leval and I insisted, however, that we had reason to
believe our reports were correct and urged him to make inquiries. He
then tried to find out the exact source of our information, and became
painfully insistent. I did not propose, however, to enlighten him on
this point and said that I did not feel at liberty to divulge our source
of information.

Lancken then became persuasive--said that it was most improbable that
any sentence had been pronounced; that even if it had, it could not be
put into effect within so short a time, and that in any event all
Government offices were closed and that it was impossible for him to
take any action before morning. He suggested that we all go home
"reasonably," sleep quietly, and come back in the morning to talk about
the case. It was very clear that if the facts were as we believed them
to be, the next morning would be too late, and we pressed for immediate
enquiry. I had to be rather insistent on this point, and de Leval, in
his anxiety, became so emphatic that I feared he might bring down the
wrath of the Germans on his own head, and tried to quiet him. There was
something splendid about the way de Leval, a Belgian with nothing to
gain and everything to lose, stood up for what he believed to be right
and chivalrous, regardless of consequences to himself.

Finally, Lancken agreed to enquire as to the facts, telephoned from his
office to the presiding judge of the court martial, and returned in a
short time to say that sentence had indeed been passed and that Miss
Cavell was to be shot during the night.

We then presented with all the earnestness at our command, the plea for
clemency. We pointed out to Lancken that Miss Cavell's offenses were a
matter of the past; that she had been in prison for some weeks, thus
effectually ending her power for harm; that there was nothing to be
gained by shooting her, and on the contrary this would do